Document Type

Syllabus

Publication Date

Spring 2024

Course Description

This class applies the fundamentals of chemistry and biochemistry to the study and explanation of metabolic pathways. As you progress through the course, you will recognize and employ concepts from your previous classes, especially Chem 120, 170, 240, and Chem 260. Your knowledge of structure, nomenclature and stereochemistry will come into play as we study the small molecules of metabolism. You will employ three-dimensional visualization of biomolecules to explain and understand the interactions of ligands and receptors. You will encounter problems and concepts requiring an understanding of stoichiometry, thermodynamics and kinetics, acids and bases (Chem 120, 130, 260), and we will read and discuss papers in the light of all of these classes. All that might sound intimidating, but understand that I get it: I fully expect that there are things you’ve forgotten, or that you never really understood. The material will be challenging, but I hope you will find this one of the most rewarding classes of your major; whether you realize it now or not, you have built up the fundamental knowledge necessary to appreciate the big, beautiful picture of metabolism. If you’re willing to put in the work, I’m here to help you through it.

Student Outcomes

Students will be able to:

  • Identify common themes in metabolic transformations with respect to regulation, common intermediates, and reaction types.
  • Apply an understanding of common themes to the analysis of novel pathways.
  • Connect important concepts from previous courses to content in Chemistry 343; examples include organic and biochemical structure, nomenclature and reactivity (from 120 and 240), principles of enzyme kinetics (from 240), Gibbs free energy (from 240 and 260), redox potential (from 130 and 240), acidity, basicity and pKa (from 120, 240 and 260).
  • In preparation for an end-of-semester oral presentation, develop scientific presentation skills in conjunction with analysis of scientific literature.

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